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The Hand of Tylth
'' '' "Hearken unto to the Light, brethren, if ye' have the mind to doubt what we say here. Turn not to your fellow man for the truth. Turn to the Light." - Faithbringer Harlon Darnel, of The Third Restoration of The Hand of Tylth The Hand of Tylth was ''an Alliance-side guild on the Moon Guard U.S. World of Warcraft server. It was first established in 2008, the primary members being Tylth, Sternhelm, Korgax, Barrus, Zahariel, and a few others. At this time, the guild was largely involved in "Closed RP" to set up the guild history as recorded below. At this time, the guild was ''not ''established in-game. In fact, most of the roleplaying took place before many of the members began playing World of Warcraft. In 2009, the guild became open to the population of the Moon Guard U.S. server. However, the guild did not recieve much attention or interest. Several revivals, or "restorations" as they were known in-character, were performed to ressurect the guild from utter failure. However, nothing seemed to work (See '''The First Restoration'). For some time, the guild operated on a minimal number of members, primarily Tylth, Mersadie, Garviel, and Barrus. Sternhelm's character, being deceased, acted solely as an advisor to the guild. When capable of re-customizing his character, Sternhelm returned as Aximand who worked diligently to revitalize the guild (See The Second Restoration). In 2010, a final push for interest was made (See''' The Third Restoration'), during which Tylth used an "alternate character", Harlon, to help the guild gain some popularity. It seemed to work, being that Harlon was an extremist and it appealed to the majority of Moon Guard roleplayers. However, the guild did not achieve what it had hoped to achieve. Tylth did make a final, in-character return in late 2010 - 2011, during which he restored the guild to its full glory and gave many of the members of The Hand of Tylth some measure of closure to an in-game story which had lasted for nearly four years (See '''The Great Restoration'). In the end, the remaining members of the guild gave each of their characters an end and retired from the game. (See Out of Character Notes, in The Great Restoration section, for a cleaner cut account of the "entire ordeal") This has been an out-of-character history. Below is an in-character history, and is much more interesting. Guild Structure 'Supplicant' An individual who has offered themself to the Order. They are not members and constantly strive for their place amongst the Order's ranks. Supplicants are generally subject to ridicule and carry out menial tasks. "The purpose of a member's supplicance is to intsill humilty and do away with their pride. When one places themself upon a pedestal upon which they look down on their fellows, he cannot hope to feel the Light's blessings course through him. Selflessness is key." ''- Grand Crusader Aximand Pureheart, of the First Restoration of the Hand of Tylth''' 'Aspirant' An individual who strives for Knighthood. They spend most of their time training and studying the Order's doctrine. Often, Aspirants are taken in as squires or scholars to the Order's higher-ranked members. ''"When I was apprentice to Sir Adyon the Righteous, I spent most of my days sharpening dull blades. Though, it was better than my fellow Aspirants' duties 'round the abbey...Some carried buckets of water from the river east of Northshire. They did that all day long..." ''- Knight Crusader Geldan the Pious, of the First Restoration of the Hand of Tytlh 'Knight Crusader' Generally, any member who has gained their Knighthood and excels at physical combat. 'War Ceric' Generally, any member who had gained their Knighthood and excels at healing magics. 'Battle Magi' Generally, any member who had gained their Knighthood and excels at destruction magics. 'Harbinger' An individual who has gained the trust of the Grandmaster and has the ability to induct Supplicants into the Order, as well as bestow Knighthood upon Aspirants. 'Grand Crusader' A title awarded to a man or woman who has proven themself a true warrior of the Light. 'Blessed Idol' An individual who is, in all ways, the perfect Knight. They are allowed a place at the Grandmaster's council, and possess the secrets of the Order. There have only been three Blessed Idols in all the Order's history. "The rank of Blessed Idol is one of epic proportions. Not only is a man or woman who possesses this title a role model for the rest of the Order, but they also have been blessed by the Grandmaster himself. They are shown the Great Reliquary. They are allowed to read of the Order's most sensitive doctrines. And they are asked to provide counsel for the Grandmaster. Truly, there is no greater achievement for any member to strive for." - Harbinger Destion the Truthspeaker, of the Second Restoration of The Hand of Tylth 'Faithbringer' A self-proclaimed title, bestowed upon Harlon Darnel by himself during The Third Restoration. The title was based on the concept that the world was drowning in a sea of unbelief and faithlessness. The Faithbringer was a man or woman who would bring the Light back into the lives of those who had rejected it and present the Light to those who had never heard of it. (For more, see The Third Restoration in Guild History.) '"We are holy messengers, missionaries who will spread the Light all across Azeroth. No man or woman of any background should suffer and dwindle in unbelief. This is our quest, brethren...Restore the Light to the peoples of this world and beckon an age of faith!"' - Faithbringer Harlon Darnel, of The Third Restoration of The Hand of Tylth' 'Grandmaster' It is generally accepted that there have only been two Grandmasters in the Order's history. One being Victor Sternhelm and the other being Tylth himself. Mersadie the Zealous did not take the title of Grandmaster upon herself during The Second Restoration and Harlon Darnel took a new title inspired by personal revelation. The Grandmaster is the man or woman who leads the Order and keeps the Order's members strong and faithful. The Order's funds and supplies are recorded by the Grandmaster and distributed at his command. Crusades and similar military advances can only be commanded by the Grandmaster. Only the Grandmaster is capable of bestowing the titles: Grand Crusader and Blessed Idol on worthy members of the Order. "The Grandmaster is a kind man. He is pious and he is learned on the Light and all things. Unto death, he is the Grandmaster and our leader. He is our Prophet. Upon taking a knee before him and recieving Knighthood, we are in his service. When all things are unknown and we know not what is right, we can still know that the Grandmaster will lead us true." - Blessed Idol Mersadie the Zealous, of the First/Second Restoration of The Hand of Tylth History 'The Birth of the Order' The Hand of Tylth was formed in the early days of the Third War. At the time, it was known as the Order of the (Benevolent) Hand, consisting of knights loyal to Lordaeron. The order was led by a Lordaeron nobleman, Victor Sternhelm, at the time of the Plague of Undeath. Sternhelm was a determined man, having overcome a physical limitation which is never detailed in the Order’s archives. He was also a loyalist, and a stalwart patriot. His loyalty is suspected to come from his service in the Lordaeron Army, during which he and King Terenas Menethil II conversed with one another.' '''The subject matter, time, and location of this conversation is vague, but it is commonly accepted they spoke of Sungrass. Soon after the Culling of Stratholme, which Sternhelm refused to take part in and led his knights back to Tirisfal with Uther the Lightbringer, the order suffered a great loss. On the long road back to Tirisfal, Sternhelm was slain in a Scourge ambush near the Thondroril River. After a solemn ceremony in an abandoned farmstead near Felstone Field, the position of Grandmaster was passed to Tylth. 'The Arrival of Tylth' After the Order was born, and Sternhelm had led his knights across Lordaeron, fighting Orcs, bandits, and Undead, the Grandmaster was confronted by a young-looking man on the shore of Darrowmere Lake. The following exerpt was taken from Sternhelm’s personal diary, which is considered a holy relic in the modern order… ''“I have never been one for visions or subtle messages bestowed unto the mind by the Holy Light. I have never even considered myself a true believer. Alas, when I rode down the western road to Tirisfal, I felt an eerie presence all ‘round me. It pulled at me, and tugged at my reins with my own hands! Deaf to the concerns of my men, and invigorated by the feeling of warmth inside my breast, I was led away from the cobblestone path and onto the carpet of earth. I came to the lake, and my gaze lingered on the distant Caer Darrow only for a moment, before my eyes fell upon a man. His gaze, too, rested upon the far isle until his blue eyes turned back to me. ‘What is your name,’ I asked hm. He replied – and in a voice so pure – ‘I am Tylth’...” '' Later, Sternhelm learned that Tylth was a self-proclaimed prophet of the Light, as well as a knight himself. However, when the question of allegiance arose, Tylth would only say he served the Light. Though none were opposed to bringing another knight into their formation, the question of allegiance rose doubts amongst the Hand. At this time during the war, Scourge spies were everywhere. Sternhelm, however, allowed Tylth to ride with the Hand to the Tirisfal border. On their travels, many of the knights began to grow close to Tylth and trust him, and when the time came for Tylth to leave them, Sternhelm held a brief meeting with his lieutenants and Tylth was inducted into the Order of the Hand later that day. 'Tylth's Origins' The origin of Tylth has been a constant debate amongst members and followers of the Order since the early days. Sternhelm was once quoted, saying: ''“If not a nobleman, Tylth is surely a noble man, and worthy of his knighthood, regardless of allegiance.” Though, some records show Sternhelm’s quote with ‘zealotry’ in the place of ‘allegiance.’ Some theorize Tylth comes from a Gilneas family who escaped the peninsula before the wall was erected. Others argue that his High Lordaeron accent proves he was born in the upper class of Lordaeron. And there are some who speculate that Tylth is not a native of the Lordaeron continent at all. Tylth’s lack of nationality, and his unwillingness to reveal any personal information, was the source of much controversy amongst his fellow knights. Some believed him dishonest and secretive in a time when men feared the unknown. 'Sternhelm's Death and Tylth's Rise to Grandmaster' As Sternhelm and his knights returned to Tirisfal, Uther the Lightbringer rushed ahead of them to reach the King in the Lordaeron captiol. At Thondroril River, the knights of the Hand were ambushed by Scourge and Sternhelm was cut down by a hulking abomination. The knights were able to fend off the foul Undead and flee west across the Plaguelands. The knights took refuge inside an abandoned farmstead near modern-day Felstone Field and the Order's healers attempted to save their Grandmaster but could not repair the wounds wrought by unholy magic. Sternhelm's final words and will expressed a deep regret that he did not live a more faithful life and commanded that Tylth be made Grandmaster upon his death. Sternhelm's lieutenants made to protest, but their Grandmaster fell silent and died soon after. After Sternhelm's death, seven of the nine lieutenants who had fought and bled for the Hand took their leave. These Seven Defectors also took with them their squires and the knights loyal to them. Only thirty knights, ten squires (Aspirants), and four Supplicants remained. Tylth then resumed Sternhelm's work of fighting Undead and protecting what remained of Lordaeron. However, there were few knights left alive and as they fell in battle one-by-one, Tylth was left with no choice but to seek refuge. It was then that the Hand took up arms with the defenders of Tyr's Hand. They remained there a while before the growing Scarlet movement began to drag members of the Hand down into depravity. By then, Tylth had only a handful of knights, one being Korgax the Fireheart. 'Korgax the Fireheart' Korgax Arrendale earned the title of “The Fireheart” upon the rotting foothills of the Plaguelands. When faced with enemy sorcerers, he rallied his fellows to charge their line despite the hail of fire that incinerated men upon impact. At the time, he was a common soldier accompanying Arthas’ campaign to hunt Cult of the Damned across Lordaeron. A pious school teacher – turned avenging crusader – Korgax taught children in the Tirisfal countryside. Korgax would often declare that he survived his ordeals in the Lordaeron Army by dumb luck. He fought under the command of several company banners (as army companies often disbanded after excessive losses or mass defection) which saw many fronts in the Third War. It was at Stratholme, however, that Korgax first met Tylth: : TYLTH SAT ATOP AN ARMORED WARHORSE. Before him was a sprawling urban wilderness. Children ran through the streets, playing before the sun sunk behind the mountains. Women stood on their porches, smiling at their laughing children. Men closed up their shops and were on their way home for the night. : A cruel wind, carrying whispers of a coming storm, swept over the group of knights, massed at the entrance of Stratholme. : Tylth looked to Uther the Lightbringer, whose face was red with anger. Standing defiantly against his mentor, Prince Arthas Menethil spoke words that cut deep into Tylth’s heart. : “I order to purge this city!” demanded Arthas. : Tylth bowed his head. : Uther made a noise in the back of his throat before speaking, “ are not my king yet, boy. Nor would I obey that command even if were…” : “Then I must consider this an act of treason.” said Arthas bitterly. : “''Treason'',” bellowed Uther incredulously, “Have lost your mind Arthas?” : “Have I?” asked Arthas, his face emotionless. : The rest of the Prince’s words were lost in Tylth’s confusion. Was the Prince insane? Had his righteous folly led him this far down the path of damnation? : “Those of you who have the will to save this land, follow me! The rest of you,” the Prince stopped abruptly and gazed upon Uther’s loyal knights, his eyes passing over Tylth, “Get out of my sight.” : The Prince’s request that they stay produced mixed feelings within Tylth. Uther was, of course, the supreme commander, but Victor had also turned from the Prince’s grim words. He could not do this, he decided, after a few moments. He turned to his fellow knight, Hastus the Gallant, and shook his helmeted head slowly. : “You would disobey the Prince?” asked Hastus in a quiet but steady voice. : “If he does this,” said Tylth miserably, “Then he is not my Prince…” : Tylth steered his mount away from the mad Prince, and Hastus moved to followed him. Another armor-clad man approached on foot, “You speak as if you know better than our lord…” he spat, directing his angry glare toward Tylth. : Hastus stirred in his saddle, his hand on the hilt of his sword, but a gentle touch from Tylth stilled the knight. Tylth steered his warhorse around Hastus, so that he might face the speaker. : He was not a young man, but he maintained a sense of vitality about him. This was obviously a seasoned warrior, and therefore no man to be trifled with. : “And you would stay, sir,” Tylth asked the man, his expression soft, “You would kill these people?” : The soldier frowned, “The Prince has commanded it, and I have come too far with him to leave him now.” : “Noble,” admitted Tylth, “Alas, these cultists who have poisoned our lands…They, too, were following orders. Perhaps if they had chosen not to carry out their master’s commands, we would still have homes to return to.” : “That is a different matter altogether.” : “To a simple man, yes, it is.” replied Tylth calmly. : The man had a defiant look in his eyes, but Tylth could tell he was filled with doubt. : “Come with us, brother,” said Tylth, offering a hand to the man, “Perhaps together we can still save our homes. And, perhaps we can do it without the radical desire to win at all costs.” : The man nodded slowly, grasping the offered gauntlet, “I am Korgax Fireheart.” Korgax became Tylth’s right hand some time after the death of Sternhelm. With the Seven Defectors’ departure, Tylth had dire need of trustworthy, capable men. Korgax had proven his battle prowess many times and held a higher education than most soldiers, and Tylth was said to have declared him an “instrument of the Light”. Tylth meant to use his new instrument. With Korgax, Tylth and his few knights spent as much time preaching as they did fighting. Their purpose was to reorganize the Lordaeron Army, most of which was quickly falling apart, but upon discovering Arthas’ betrayal, Tylth led his knights back to the capitol city in hopes of helping re-establish order. Korgax, however, advised against the action. According to Korgax’s logic, the capitol was bound to be in open rebellion and would soon fall with or without their aid. Their duty, he said, was in regaining territory from the Undead. Tylth submitted to his trusted lieutenant and the Hand moved east instead of west. 'Korgax's Betrayal' ''"Korgax was an educated man. The Light has no use for educated men. Education makes a man prideful, because it leads him to believe that all he had acquired in his life he has acquired of himself. A humble man, however, knows that he has acquired nothing of himself. In fact, he knows that the only thing he ''has ''acquired of himself is his weaknesses and shortcomings." ''- Faithbringer Harlon Darnel, of The Third Restoration This period of the Order’s history is known as The Great Betrayal by most modern Order scholars. Tylth, however, recognized this time as The Great Enlightenment. In his eyes, the “betrayal” he suffered at Korgax’s hands only brought into focus his true mission in Azeroth. The Order took up residence in Tyr’s Hand after discovering Uther the Lightbringer’s death. The growing Scarlet movement took hold in Tyr’s Hand and the Hand lost many of its Supplicants and Aspirants to the fervor. At some point, one of Tylth’s knights was afflicted with the Plague of Undeath. It was Tylth’s hope that he could heal the knight in question but the townspeople were alerted to the knight’s ailment and the Hand was forced out of the city. There was great remorse in the Hand for its wayward knights, but Tylth promised all would be well. With a meager force of sixteen knights (not including Tylth, Korgax, and two lieutenants), The Order of the Hand was in peril. It was at this point in time that Tylth both began praying for inspiration. Tylth is recorded to have said: “The world has taken all my assets from me, I must receive aid from on high or this, our mission, is over, brethren.” Insertion by Order scholars: Now it must be stated, for the Grandmaster would want it to be said, that these remaining knights, who had resisted the temptations of safety in Tyr’s Hand and the opportunities of desertion, were the some of the greatest men to ever grace Azeroth. However, Korgax worked in darkness and led their hearts away. One night, Tylth retreated into his pavilion and sat in meditation for several hours as his knights lay awake waiting their Grandmaster’s revelation. Meanwhile, Korgax stole into the wilderness to pray also. Order scholars have debated what happened next for many years. The reason for this debate is that the time between The Great Betrayal and The First Restoration The Order of the Hand, many records were kept which were largely inaccurate. However, devoted men and women have successfully compiled an official record. : KORGAX THE FIREHEART wandered through the dense wilderness, seeking perhaps for a place to kneel down and pray. He found his way into the Grove of Treachery (The Fungal Vale), knelt down, and received what he then believed to be a vision manifested by the Light. : In this vision, Korgax is said to have witnessed a heavenly messenger who instructed him to do many things, including the ritual sacrifice of the remaining knights. Later evidence shows that this was indeed a Nathrezim in some kind of guise. For many hours, Korgax was instructed by the demon and then told to bring Tylth there. : But before Korgax was permitted to leave, he was told to make an Unholy Oath to the demon. This oath bound him to the demon and would later result in his insanity. : When Korgax returned to the encampment, he saw Tylth emerge from his pavilion and bade him follow him into the wilderness. According to a number of secondary sources, such as journals collected from the Order’s knights, Korgax told Tylth that he needed to confess a grievous sin to him. : Korgax led Tylth back to the Grove and there he proposed the use of “Dark Magic” against the Scourge interlopers. A heated argument took place between the two knights. It was then that the Nathrezim appeared again in his guise and commanded Tylth to heed Korgax’s council. : Tylth, however, knew that this was no true manifestation of the Light, for he had experienced many before. : “I felt no calming spirit in my breast,” Tylth explained in a discourse years later, “The indignation I had felt toward Korgax, who was my beloved brother, did not dissipate. In a true manifestation of the Holy Light, no ill feelings can exist between two men. It simply does not abide in a hostile environment.” : The demon then commanded Korgax to kill Tylth for his disobedience. Tylth, having no fear of his ally, drew his sword upon the demon and made to strike. Alas, Korgax, being influenced by the demon’s magic through the Unholy Oath, struck Tylth down in a rage. : Some records show Tylth was decapitated while others claim he was disemboweled. The official record simply states that Tylth was “struck down” by Korgax. : At this moment, Korgax attempted to turn his blade on himself but the demon consoled him and commanded him to take up the position of Grandmaster. He returned to the knights and lied to them all, telling them that Tylth had abandoned them in his fear. Korgax took control of the Order and a grief-ridden company then moved further west, and Tylth was forgotten. : It is often said that Korgax knelt as The Fireheart and arose as The Deceiver. 'The First Restoration' It was nearly seven years after the Third War had ended that a man claiming to be a prophet of the Holy Light arrived in Northshire Valley. Some thought him mad and some thought him another Zealot, but none knew of his origins. His name was Tylth. Tylth told of an order of knights who had once protected the people and served their king, but a great Darkness had sundered the righteous Order. He promised that he would restore it to its former glory and he desired worthy, capable men and women to join him. At the peak of the First Restoration, Tylth had gathered many loyal men and women to join the The Hand of Tylth. Along with his Grand Crusader, Aximand Pureheart, and his Blessed Idol, Mersadie the Zealous, Tylth led his knights on many quests. "The purpose of this restoration is to rebuild what was once a glorious organization," Tylth said when asked. Later, he would declare, "The First Restoration was meant to create a group of noble, worthy, capable men and women to fight the Darkness that threatened us and our lands." Tylth was then called away from Northshire Abbey where the Hand had based itself. Giving command to Mersadie and Aximand, Tylth journeyed to Outland on "sacred business". Some inside the Order thought it a pilgrimage. Others believed it was a mission to find others interested in joining the Order. However, Tylth was gone for many months, and the Hand feared for its Grandmaster. It is at this time when the Lich King struck from his Frozen Throne and many of the knights flocked to Northrend in search of glory and vengeance. Once again forgotten, Tylth languished in a prison under the cruel hand of Korgax the Deceiver. 'The Second Restoration' The Second Restoration was led by Mersadie the Zealous and Aximand Pureheart. Many believed that Tylth had taken an indefinite leave from the Order's affairs. It was not hard to believe since the prophet had vanished once before. Some rationalized that he truly was a madman. Others believed he had left them to fight the Lich King and would return when the war was done. Mersadie, however, knew something had gone amiss in the prophet's journey. : THE LIBRARY OF NORTHSHIRE ABBEY WAS QUIET. Brother Phillip sat at a table with Brother Norman, reading a weathered tome. Brother Adam and Brother Joseph stood beside one of the many bookshelves, skimming the numerous volumes of scripture, lore, and theological studies. Across the library, sitting alone at a desk was Mersadie the Zealous. : Mersadie had lived in the abbey for much of her life. It took many years for the monks to become accustomed to a woman living in their presence, but soon they did not even notice. She had cut her hair short and wore plain clothing. She looked more like a pretty young boy. : Long ago, when Mersadie had arrived at the abbey, she was lost. Her family had been murdered in Redridge by orcs. She left that life behind her, seeking a new purpose. Her feet took her deep into Elwynn Forest, and she had found a home. It was then, too, that she first met Tylth. : It had been raining that day, when she wandered into Goldshire. No one was out in the street, for back then the town was quiet, unlike today. She stumbled into the Lion’s Pride, falling into a chair beside the bar. She had no money and only a worn leather suit to cover her. She was hungry and none had the compassion to help her. : None but Him. : Tylth had come to her and, with a smile that melted her heart, bought her a meal. At first, she had thought him to be looking for a companion for the night. Alas, when he made to leave after their short, but intimate, conversation, Mersadie caught him by the arm. : “Why are doing this for me?” she had asked, the words now moving through her mind, like the sharp edge of a sword. : He then said something Mersadie would never forget. He said, “Because needed me.” : So simple, but so honest and true. He had meant those words with all his heart and he asked for nothing in return for his kindness. : “May I come with ?” she had blurted out, before realizing how girlish she sounded. : Once again he had smiled, and said, “Come walk with me, sister.” : Now Mersadie sat at that desk in the library, poring over ancient books and scrolls. She searched for something that was of the utmost importance. Alas, she could find nothing she sought. Not here. Not at the Royal Library in Stormwind. Not even in the dark corridors of the Nether. : That which she sought was meant not to be found, she knew. Nevertheless, she pursued it still. : Ipluvien Duskrend stepped into the library, his crimson robes flowing behind him like a bloody wake. The warlock ignored the sidelong glances of Brother Phillip and Brother Norman, striding toward the desk where Mersadie sat. : Weeks ago, when the young man had suggested the use of Nether-magics to locate Tylth, she had expressed her feelings that he should not contact her again. But here he was, testing her fury. : “What do you want?” she asked plainly, a stoic mask hiding her rage. : “Forgive my intrusion,” began the warlock, breathing heavily, “But you really will want to hear what I have to say.” : Mersadie folded her hands on the desktop before her, and narrowed her eyes, “I’m listening…” she said. : Ipluvien slipped into the seat next to her, moving closer than she would normally permit a man to. He whispered to her, “Those whom I seek for guidance and information say that your master has…reappeared.” : Her eyes bored into him, as if she were sifting through the full meaning of his words. Suddenly, her stern face eased. She set her hand upon his and closed her eyes, “Thank you.” she breathed. : Later that night, when Mersadie and Ipluvien had said goodbye to one another, the not so young woman retired to her cell on the far side of the abbey. She closed the cell door, and opened the footlocker beside her bed. From within, Mersadie withdrew many things from her life. : One was a golden amulet, which she received as a reward for ridding a farmstead in Westfall of gnolls. Another was silver dagger, which bore the insignia of Stormwind on the hilt. Alas, she pulled out a faded, torn rag. It had once been a crimson color, but it now had lost its beauty. : Pulling the tabard over her head, Mersadie made a face. She noticed that she had grown since she had last worn the tabard, but it still fit. Leaning over to look within the footlocker again, she retrieved dull, ugly armor pieces. Like the color of her tabard, the armor, too, had faded. : These were holy things, magically imbued, and now they sat idle, collecting dust. : “No more.” she said firmly, pulling out the last of the artifacts of her past. : A gleaming sword, with a golden hilt and a sapphire forged into the pommel. She held it over her head, feeling the weight and the pain in her shoulders. An old pain, one which she had prayed many times to experience again. : She felt righteous winds sing through her bones, and she knew that everything had changed. Mersadie and the reorganized Hand followed their prophet's footsteps through the Dark Portal and into Outland. Tracking him to Shadowmoon Valley, the Hand stormed a demon stronghold in the attempt to liberate Tylth from his prison. At this time, no one in the Hand knew that Korgax was behind the prophet's disappearance. After the siege, the prophet was rescued and as the knights made their escape, they were pursued by a demonic spirit which attacked them upon the ashen plains known as The Deceiver's Stand. Tylth, who was "mortally wounded" according to records, regained some measure of strength and helped defeat the malevolent spirit. However, when the knights arrived back in Shattrath City via portal, the prophet was near death. Placed upon an altar on the Terrace of Light, the knights of the Hand beseeched the resident Naaru for intervention on their Grandmaster's behalf. The Naaru, however, would not heal him. Refusing to despair, the knights raised their voices in prayer. When the prayer was finished, they saw that Tylth had vanished from the altar. Believing that Tylth had been "translated", or that he had "ascended", the knights returned to their duties. 'A Differing of Opinions' There is some controversy within the Order concerning Tylth's "ascendance". Critical scholars claim no such thing occured. As Tylth did return to life nearly a year and a half later (See The Great Restoration), the current viewpoint of the events in Outland is: Tylth succumbed to his wounds upon the Terrace of Light. He would later be risen from the dead, having been entombed beneath Northshire Abbey. The Order's official statement is this: The holy prophet Tylth, suffering grevious wounds after his imprisonment in Korggax the Deceiver's stronghold, was taken from the realm by way of ascendance. His physical body was found no more in the material realms. Later, he would be given back to the world to complete his work and his mission, which is, to bring about the glory and wonder of the Holy Light. 'The Third Restoration' Between the time Tylth ascended in Outland and the Third Restoration occurred, many things happened within the Order and in Azeroth. One of the most significant events, other than The Cataclysm, was the death of the Order's beloved Blessed Idol Mersadie the Zealous. Felled by a Blackrock axe in the Redridge Mountains, the Order's co-leader left a relatively weak governing body to lead the Hand. The Council was formed after Mersadie's death to cotninue the Hand's mission and fulfill the duties of Grandmaster. The Council consisted of several seasoned knights, including the Grand Crusader. However, the Council struggled to keep commitments and there was an obvious need for restoration. Finally, the Council fell into inactivity and many of the Council's members went their own ways. The Hand of Tylth then fell to an unlikely man. Harlon Darnel, a former noble of Alterac, had spent the years following the Third War working with Alliance officials in their investigation of the Syndicate cells in and around the former human kingdoms in the north. After his retirement, Darnel found himself seeking a revival of his faith. That search took him to Northshire Abbey where he originally intended to become a monk. While the Northshire Abbey is NOT and NEVER WAS the property of The Hand of Tylth, the abbey's library did contain some of the old Order's records, including information about Sternhelm's founding and Tylth's inheritance of the Order. Darnel found these records to be fascinating! He learned that the Order was currently in pieces and declared that he would restore it to its original glory. Now this distinction in important. According to Darnel, Mersadie had unrighteously seized control of the Hand upon Tylth's departure to Outland. "The First Restoration was never completed. Tylth left the Order to grow and prosper in his abscence and the impatience of Mersadie the Zealous and Aximand Pureheart resulted in the prophet leaving this realm all together. There was no need for a Second Restoration." Modern scholars disagree with Darnel's remarks concerning The Second Restoration, but that is neither here nor there. The Third Restoration focused on a basic principle, instituted by Darnel, which involved a revival of faith in Stormwind and the surrounding lands. Faithbringer, an invented (though generally accepted) title, is more or less what it implies. Darnel had a strong belief that the world was suffering from a lack of faith. To him, all the recent wars and troubles were the direct result of faithlessness on the part of the people. can imagine that this idea was not received particularly well by the majority of people as it called attention to their shortcomings. Nevertheless, Darnel began his religious movement in Stormwind City, or as he called it, "a faith-building excercise". Darnel was prone to preaching in the streets and called for aid from the Stormwind government. Though Darnel was aggressive in his tactics, he never reached a greater controversy than his document "The Plights of Humanity", in which he twisted some of the old doctrines instituted by Tylth in the First Restoration. In the modern Order, the document is described as thus: An article written and published by Harlon Darnel, Faithbringer of The Hand of Tylth, who was Faithbringer in The Third Restoration of The Hand of Tylth. The article discussed the Third War and all the worldly conflicts that followed. It led the reader to the assumption that the misfortune of Azeroth's "fairer" races was the result of the faithlessness of Azeroth's non-human allies. The article was in direct contradiction to Order doctrine, which stated: "All Azerothian peoples have the right and duty to follow the Holy Light and serve in fulfilling the righteous ends of the Holy Light" It is argued by Darnelists that The Plights of Hunanity was divinely inspired and therefore overrides previously instituted doctrine. The rationalization was that the "old doctrine was old". This ideology, however, was never accepted by the true Order and some modern scholars even denounce Darnel's movement as a faction, or sect, of the Order. 'The Removal of Harlon Darnel' The Council, which was reorganized soon after Darnel announced his Third Restoration, was in near-constant disagreement with the Faithbringer. The arguement was basically thus: Harlon was not a Blessed Idol and was certainly not the Grandmaster, and had no authority to make changes to the Order's makeup and organization, which authority comes only through Tylth. Darnel's arguement, of course, was: "Tylth is not here." This did not win the Faithbringer many friends in the Council which consisted of long-time members of the Order. : THAT DAY WAS NOT SO DIFFERENT from other days. Northshire Valley was still warm and sunny and the hustle and bustle of new recruits could be heard from up in the abbot's office. That was where I was that day. The day Tylth came back. : He walked into the Abbey as if he had only gone down to Goldshire for a brief sermon. He looked at me and I saw the kind of instant recognition that a man sees in his child's eyes when he returns from the field after a hard day's work. That is, he didn't seem to have missed me! : I embraced him nevetheless. I stood there for what could have easily been many minutes, my arms tight around him. I did eventually release him, but only to look him in the face once more. I must not have believed it was really him because I asked, "Tylth? Tylth?" at least a dozen times. : He smiled. He always smiled at our astonishment. I think that's because he understood all that we did not. : Then it was like he'd never left. We both went into the Library where Brother Miles was and he dropped all four volumes of dragon-lore he had been carrying. Harlon was there too, sitting across the room at one of the study desks. He frowned. The bastard hadn't even seen Tylth before, and there he was changing the prophet's words around. : But Tylth knew who he ''was, that's for damn sure! Tylth walked right up to him, and said, "My friend, your time is done." : Now I'm not the kind of fellow to mock or point and jab my finger at the whipped boy, but I remember my face split into a big grin. It wasn't because I disliked Harlon, which I did, or that I disagreed with what he was doing to the Hand, which I did. It was because TYLTH WAS BACK! : Of course, when Harlon figured out who had just told him to pack his bags, he went quietly. He shook Tylth's hand and asked for a blessing, and he left Northshire the next day. I heard he went to preaching that Tylth had returned. : I figure Harlon had just been trying to do what he thought was right, but it took a prophet of the Holy Light to come up and smack the smile off his face for him to figure it all out. :::::: - Taken from the personal account of Grand Crusader Aximand Pureheart, of The First Restoration of The Hand of Tylth Tylth had returned. And it was time for all things to come back together. 'The Great Restoration' The Great Restoration occurred when Tylth returned from his ascended state and discharged Faithbringer Harlon Darnel from service, and the Order altogether. Upon Tylth's return, many of the Hand's unhappy knights renewed their oaths to the Order and to Tylth as their prophet and Grandmaster. Those who sympathized with Darnel were commanded to repent by Tylth and many of Darnel's loyalists were stripped of their knighthoods. As for the Faithbringer himself, Darnel departed from Northshire Valley and began spreading news of Tylth's return. Some time later, a document titled "The Prophet's Return" began to circulate in Stormwind City, in which Darnel declared that a true prophet of the Holy Light could be found in Northshire. Unexpectedly, this provided many new recruits for the Hand. Several "initiatives" were proposed during the weeks that followed Tylth's return. These were goals, set by the Hand's leadership, to revitalize the guild. One such initiative was weekly pilgrimages to distant locations of importance in the Hand's history, including Thondroril River Bridge. The Order also began by-weekly patrols of the lands surrounding Lordaeron, which was basically a trek from Northshire Valley through Elywnn, Westfall, Duskwood, Redridge Mountains, and back to Stormwind to "report" to the King that all was well in the land. These initiatives were small but powerful ways that The Great Restoration brought The Hand of Tylth back to its former glory in ways that no one could have expected. In fact, the guild became quite popular in Elwynn for a short while and the Order's oldest members were gladened by their success. Tylth, in his last sermon given at Northshire Abbey, said: "This is the last and the greatest of the Restorations that this holy order will see. Nothing more will impede its progress." 'Out of Character Notes' Alas, the guild was disbanded OOCly. The reason for this was The Great Restoration. This last push for activity in the guild had worked! The Hand of Tylth became the guild it was meant to be. Tylth mentioned that it was perfect and would never be better than it was at the time it was finally restored. The guild was disbanded when Tylth and Aximand, who was originally Sternhelm, decided to depart World of Warcraft. Two other members of the original Order also departed. In character, The Hand of Tylth lives on. In fact, on a good night, you might find some of the older members of the guild roaming around Northshire Abbey in level 1 paladin attire. Tha Hand of Tylth did not achieve what it was supposed to achieve OOCly. ICly, however, the Order exists to protect the realm and "to bring about the glory and wonder of the Holy Light". That will never change. 'Out of Character Controversy and Criticism' 'The Guild's Name' You might have asked yourself, "Who or what is Tylth?" when saw so-and-so in run across your screen. That's a good question. Tylth was a Blood Elf paladin on the Gul'dan U.S. World of Warcraft sever. The guild's name, and leader, are a kind of informal tribute to him. He doesn't even know it exists. However, that is more of the obscure trivia which normally never came out. I believe one of the three Blessed Idols in the guild's existence never knew that. And that's a big deal if you didn't know. The guild's name was a problem from the very beginning. Nobody, and I mean nobody, likes running around with a player's name above their head that isn't their own. That's understandable. But it was decided early on that the guild's name would not change to meet individuals' tastes. Technically, the guild's official name is The Order of the Benevolent Hand, of Tylth, with that comma bewteen HAND and OF. If you've read the history section, you know that the original founder of the "guild" was Victor Sternhelm who led The Order of the Benevolent Hand during the Third War. When the Order was inherited by Tylth, "of Tylth" was added onto the end of it. For the sake of not cramming all that into a guild tag, "The Hand of Tylth" seemed to get the point across that this Tylth guy was kinda' important. 'The Prophet' Once again, read the guild's history, and you will learn that Tylth was a self-proclaimed prophet of the Holy Light before this RP even came to World of Warcraft. It was never intended that he be an actual prophet, meaning he was never going to prophesy or predict or anything like that. I believe it happened once during an OOC dungeon run of Deadmines. Tylth prophesied that VanCleef would have cloaked adds. But yes, to answer any questions, Tylth was a prophet of the Holy Light in-character. And like a real prophet, he saved his prophecies and revelations for his closest advisors. He never declared them in public. But people freaked out when "The Prophet" was the Guild Leader's title so we altered it to Grandmaster early on. TL;DR - No metagaming here. 'Tylth's Death/Ascendance/Sparkly Transformation' As I can attest, it was never intended that Tylth be saved from death. But let's face it, the guild had a lot of ups and downs, and we needed a REFRESH button in case it began to flounder or go off-track. We all had a quick OOC meeting in Ventrilo the day of the RP in question and we decided to have Tylth ascend upon death. Tylth OCCly suggested the Naaru saving Tylth, but everyone knew that people would cry god-moding if that bit of guild history ever came to light. However, we knew that people could ascend and become a spirit in lore. Tylth was supposed to remain in the Spirit World. Maybe he was looking for his corpse? But then The Third Restoration took a curve to the dark side and we needed Tylth to come back. '(Criticism of) The Third Restoration' A lot of people, even long-time members of the guild, thought that The Third Restoration was a ploy to get the Moon Guard server's attention. I have to say, I agree with that. But we had been trying to get the server's attention for three damned years! I know Tylth wanted some guild alliances from the very beginning and that never happened. I would like to note, however, that Harlon Darnel was not an over-the-top bad guy. He was just painfully human and he thought he was doing the right thing. This is just a shred of the immense realism that The Hand of Tylth possessed. In basically every religion on Earth, there has been some kind of stain on their records. In Tylth's eyes, The Hand of Tylth needed one as well. I personally loved The Third Restoration. With Harlon leading the guild, we began to find faults in our characters which never came to light when Tylth was on his golden horse, in his golden armor, with his golden sword. '(Criticism of) The "Restorations"''' The many "restorations" were also a source of much criticism for one reason or another. Basically, the restorations were plot devices to help the guild pull out of slumps. Instead of just bumping the recruitment thread on the server forums, the guild story picked up when a new "restoration" was announced. It worked fairly well but some people saw it as taking "time-outs" or "breaks" in the RP, which honestly wasn't the case at all. Personally, I remember when The Great Restoration occurred, we were all just sitting there RPing in Northshire and Tylth logged off of Harlon and logged onto Tylth and came walking up the road from Goldshire. We thought he was going to his bank or something and then he shows up at the abbey. Now that's good RP. Category:Alliance Guild